The Berkshire and Connecticut Valleys are approximately
thirty miles apart. The area between them is mountainous,
with relatively few roads, most hilly and many unpaved. This
environment attracts some bicyclists for off-road riding and
a few for on-road challenges. However, most touring
bicyclists will seek out the flattest routes through such an
area. Two good possibilities for links between the valleys
exist, each with variations and each with one or more
problems.

This route follows River Road from the Leeds section of
Northampton to Williamsburg, and Route 9 as far as the
Cummington town line.

Massachusetts Route 9 is a major east-west highway through
the Berkshires, between Northampton and Pittsfield. The
fairly high volume of traffic, including heavy truck traffic,
actually works to bicyclists' advantage, since it has led to
the design of the highway to a very high standard. Grades are
moderate and the wide shoulders can easily accommodate
bicycle traffic regardless of the volume of motor traffic. On
this highway, the motor traffic is more a cause of
unpleasantness for bicyclists -- noise and exhaust odors --
than of conflict, delays and danger. In any case, traffic
volume changes markedly from hour to hour and day to day, and
an early morning crossing, for example, can find Route 9
almost empty.

West of Windsor, Route 9 westbound rises away from the
Westfield River before descending into Pittsfield. There is
additional elevation gain and there are also climbing lanes
which take the place of the shoulders. The entry into
Pittsfield is through an industrial and shopping area with
unpleasant bicycling conditions. However, an alternate route
along River Road through Windsor passes the Windsor Jambs
State Park with its picnicking, camping and swimming
facilities and continuing on Route 116, which is wide and
carries very little traffic west to its terminus in Adams.

The last mile in Adams is very steep, and eastbound
bicyclists, especially, may prefer the gentler grades of
Wells Road from Cheshire, or East Street from Adams and North
Adams. These roads make connections to Route 116 near the top
of the climb out of Adams.

There is one remaining significant problem with this
cross-Berkshire route: four miles of Route 9 between
Williamsburg and Goshen which lack the wide shoulders.

Widening of the four miles of Route 9 between Williamsburg
and Goshen should be a high priority, not only for the
benefit of bicycle tourists but for other travelers as well.
Given this improvement, the through route deserves to be
designated and maintained as a preferred route for through
bicycle travel.

Route 20 between Westfield and Lee essentially parallels
the Massachusetts Turnpike. For this reason, Route 20 carries
little traffic; adult bicyclists' main concern will be the
climbing. This situation can be expected to continue for
several decades, until major development for tourism occurs
in the high Berkshires.

In the "Jacob's Ladder" section between Chester
and Becket, the elevation gain is in a series of
"steps," making the climb a greater challenge than
on Route 9. The climb from Lee to Route 8 also is steep.
Still, Route 20 does not waste the effort of climbing with
repeated uphill and downhill sections.

An alternative to the Becket-Lee section is to travel
northwest using Pittsfield Road through Washington, to
William Street in Pittsfield.

The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission is looking into
potential improvements in the Route 20 corridor. An abandoned
railroad grade parallel to Route 20 could provide a less
challenging climb for at least part of the route, and an
alternate if traffic increases to the degree that it degrades
bicycling conditions. (Unfortunately, the western portion of
this railroad alignment was taken over by the Massachusetts
Turnpike for the descent into Lee.) Though the remainder of
the railroad grade represents a resource that should not be
lost, the potential ridership for this route is questionable
for the near future.

Most of Route 20 has wide shoulders, and traffic is
relatively light because the Massachusetts Turnpike carries
through traffic. The photo shows Route 20 under the Turnpike
overpass in Russel..

The potential of Route 20 and the Route 20 corridor should
be maintained and improved for bicycling in the course of
normal road maintenance and upgrading. Particularly, the
section from Lee to the junction with Route 8 in Becket
should be upgraded to a minimum width of 28 feet, as there is
no good alternative for a southern route across the
Berkshires. Problems in the eastern part of the corridor are
less pressing, due to the light traffic. The railroad grade
could be acquired as a resource and perhaps developed as a
mountain bike and snowmobile trail, requiring no expensive
improvements. If demand is demonstrated, then improvements
could be undertaken.

There is a short section in Westfield, as well, which
could be widened. The photo shows the shoulders disappearing
at the town line between Russell and Westfield.

Route 2, the northernmost route, carries heavy traffic and
has sections which are only the minimum 24 feet wide,
including the challenging climb over Whitcomb Summit. Though
some bicyclists like the climbing challenge, Route 2 can not
serve as an attractive through bicycle route unless improved
significantly. However, sections between Zoar and Charlemont
and from Route 112 to Shelburne Falls are wider, and form
important links in routes popular with local bicycle clubs.

A number of minor highways cross the Berkshires -- Routes
57, 23, 143, 116. All of these are at least in part narrow
and winding, and waste elevation gain with repeated ups and
downs. These highways are a greater challenge and, under any
but very light traffic conditions, present greater risks than
the more wide-open highways.

It is possible to build up complicated routes which cross
the Berkshires on lightly-traveled roads, but these are
invariably long and usually very hilly. They are better
thought of as mountain challenges than as through touring
routes. An example of this type of route is the century (100
mile) route included as an appendix to this report.